


Camping

by elizainlove



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 22:05:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18925918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizainlove/pseuds/elizainlove
Summary: The young parents and children of Downton decide to go camping for a few days during a rather glorious summer, and Thomas Barrow is left in charge of the three day outing. But when Alfred, Daisy, Anna, and Jimmy all decide they want to sneak out to the pub on the first night, who will they use as a distraction? Who indeed....





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fun Fun Fun have I really not written anything since 2015? My lord sorry if I'm a tad rusty. Here is my fictitious contribution to the world of Thommy written in my usual light hearted and slightly steamy way. Enjoy!

Chapter one

For some unknown, ungodly reason, the young parents and subsequent offspring of the Downton household had decided they were to go camping. True, the English summer they had been enjoying was a warm one, with a cooling breeze which meant the suits the servants still had to wear only caused a mild perspiration rather than an intense one. Camping also meant lunchtime could be spent playing cricket, or strolling along the edges of the babbling stream, or maybe just lazing under one of the numerous oak or willows. But the one thing camping involved, which nearly every single other person didn’t seem to mind, was the actual act of sleeping on the floor in a canvas cave. Thomas had had enough of sleeping in weird and uncomfortable places during the war to last a lifetime, but apparently everyone else seemed to think it was all part of the fun of it.

“It’s like sleeping under the stars, Mr Barrow!” Alfred said, eyes wide with earnest. 

The under butler grunted in acknowledgment, thinking about when to have his third cigarette of the day. He was overseeing the construction of three large tents and marquee for the family, the ‘kitchen’ tent, and the smaller, ex-military tents for himself, Jimmy, Alfred, Daisy and Anna, and the Nanny. 

“Ah yes. Sleeping on the ground with fabric blocking your view of the skies. Hardly an opportunity for star gazing, is it?” He gestured to the mess of a tent Alfred was currently struggling with “And you’re doing that wrong” He strode over to the ginger lad, swapping over the wrong pole he had been trying to wedge into the wrong joint for the correct one “Do I have to do your job as well as mine?”

“Sorry Mr Barrow, no Mr Barrow” 

Thomas heard him mutter something darkly as he turned his back but he decided the weather was too nice to call him up on it. Plus, he was sure Mr Carson would be asking his favourite footman for a report once they all got back so he couldn’t be any noticeably meaner than ordinarily if he wanted things to go his way in the near future. 

He was just squinting into the sun and towards the sounds of a woodpecker in a nearby tree when he felt Jimmy walk up beside him. He knew it was Jimmy because, well, it was Jimmy. He could be blindfolded and bound, with a peg on his nose and still know when it was Jimmy who approached. He always made Thomas’ skin tingle. 

“You could help you know? I know its rough work but I am sure you could stoop to put up a tent in a lovely flowery field if you bloody well felt like it” Jimmy spoke without preamble “theres only me and that ginger nonce building enough tents to house an army” 

Thomas ignored the slight jab about ‘rough work’ knowing that Jimmy was referring more to his position within the house rather than to his personal leanings, as he might once have done “Well, you had better get on with it then, hadn’t you?”

Jimmy ignored this and followed his friend’s gaze “What you lookin’ at anyhow?” He joined Thomas in squinting into the sun “Don’t see nothing but trees and sky”

Thomas sighed and turned to look at the blonde. Then instantly turned away again. Jimmy was slightly sweaty from the building and some of his hair was stuck to his forehead in a way that made Thomas want nothing more than to push it off his face and kiss his flushed cheeks “Thats because you’re an unobservant moron” He pointed with his gloved hand “There’s a woodpecker int there? Cant you hear it?”

Jimmy pushed closer to see where Thomas was pointing “Hu. Oh yeah. Don’t know about bird stuff. Always been more of a town dweller, me. Prefer the sights and smells of town”

Thomas dropped his hand and glanced toward Alfred who was now mostly done with his tent, but was in a battle with one of the guy ropes. The rope was winning. “Go help Hercules, would you? Or we’ll be lucky if he doesn’t uproot that tent. I have to go and see how Daisy is getting on setting up the food”

“Sure you do” 

Thomas ignored this “Then once you’re done here, start with our tents” He paused for a fraction of a moment, knowing that Jimmy would correctly read into the subtext of what he said next “and pitch mine a way off from yours and Alfred’s”

Jimmy gave him a sharp look “Thomas you don’t have to-”

Thomas cut across him, not willing to have that conversation “And obviously put Anna and Daisy’s away from you two too” 

“Thomas…” his voice was low and soft and held concern and affection Thomas still found slightly odd to hear directed at him.

“Those are your instructions, Jimmy. No further discussion is needed” He was being curt but he hoped Jimmy realised it wasn’t because he was angry at him. 

There was more silence where they both continued to watch Alfred get more and more tangled, then “Fine” Jimmy stated flatly, and stomped away to moan at Alfred instead.

The servants tents were a whole field over in order to give the family their own space. “to make them feel like they’re not slumming it with the help more like” Thomas had muttered when Carson had told him of the arraignments.

“And I do hope you will pitch your own tent with digression in mind” Carson had looked at Thomas so sternly he wondered how much he had been fretting over what might happen if he let Thomas loose into the wilderness with unsupervised access to other men. Unsupervised access to Jimmy… Though, Thomas supposed that the fact he was being allowed to do this at all and that someone like Bates wasn’t being put in charge in his stead, was a testament to how far they had come in the last few years. 

The rest of the day went off with only a few hitches in the form of young Miss Sybbie falling over in the grass and making a right old scene about nothing, and Daisy swatting an inquiring wasp right out of the air with one impressive swipe of the spatula. Or, it would have been impressive, if she hadn’t caught the edge of a tray Jimmy was carrying and sent drinks spilling over herself and the footman. At least the grass didn’t require mopping. 

The last thing Thomas wanted to do was get into that wretched tent but he had had just about enough of Alfred’s continuous optimism for one day thank you very much. So he decided he would be turning in early and told the others that they’d do the same if they knew what was good for them. 

“After the sun sets properly, we eat, then BED. All of you. The family will be doing the same” He had received dark looks and whines about the local pub in response. 

“need I remind you we are here to work not for a holiday” Jesus he sounded just like old eyebrows back at the house. Thomas backtracked slightly, rubbing his eyes wearily “We are here for three days. Tonight, go to bed, the next two nights you may have to do as you wish” He tried not to look at Jimmy, or to think about the conversation they had had earlier that day. Thomas had noticed some very pretty girls in the village when he and Jimmy had taken a slightly overly lengthy walk into town to buy milk and other spoilables. He had unthinkingly mentioned this to his shorter friend. 

“They don’t make them like this in Ripon do they?” He had smirked to Jimmy as a passing girl with a chest so large it was almost unseemly caught his eye and blushed. 

Jimmy had let out a laugh and raised two incredulous eyebrows “Alright, Mr Barrow, steady on. Don’t want to go giving the poor girl the wrong impression. Surprised you noticed anyhow”

“Just because I don’t particularly want to know what is underneath the corset doesn’t mean I wont notice whats being pushed out the top” He’d replied dryly. Then grinned broadly as Jimmy laughed so much they had to stop and wait for him to catch his breath again. 

He smiled slightly at the memory. He always loved making Jimmy laugh and prided himself on being the only one in the house who could make him laugh so much he had to stop walking. Thomas couldn’t stop Jimmy from going out and flirting, so why upset him and the others by confining them to their tents unfairly. Tomorrow. They would all go out tomorrow.


	2. True Masterminds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens the decoy is detonated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet. Just like a certain blonde - what? Who said that?

Chapter two

Thomas became aware everything wasn’t fine and dandy when he first saw the two footmen, daisy, and Anna all whispering together at the pop-up servants table just before sunset. The candles on the tabletop stuttered in a slight breeze and the whole tableau was so blatantly conspiratorial the scene could have been used in a silent film. If he wasn’t so sure they were plotting to disobey his own direct orders, he would have marched over and given them some tips. He breathed in the sweet country summer air and tried to decide if he cared or not. If they wanted to go into the village they could bloody-well go. All they needed to do was get Jimmy to ask and he would let them. Thomas smiled to himself and looked at the wild flowers by his feet, trying to hide his grin from view. Today had been quite lovely, actually. He’d had time to spend with Jimmy out in the open rather than in the hot and stuffy halls of the Abbey, and the workload had been considerably less than normal. The dinners were light and no one was bothering to change into evening wear. The air had been full of the children’s laughter, birdsong, and bees. Honestly, he couldn’t blame the others for wanting the day to continue. 

Right, yes. Stop being a grumpy old man and go tell them they can go. 

As he approached the table however, Jimmy got up and strolled toward him, the scheme clearly complete. 

He and Jimmy spent a little while after the dinner was over and cleared playing cards by moon and candle, with every other servant drifting off to their respective beds far earlier than Thomas ever would have enforced. The under butler still hadn’t decided if he would simply let them sneak off thinking they’d bested him, or just ‘wake them up’ and tell them all to bugger off already, when Jimmy dropped his hand of cards and announced he too was tired. They said their good nights then Thomas was left with little option other than to follow suit. 

Once he was ensconced within his little green tent, the temperature dropped noticeably. Pulling his blankets tighter around himself he thought wisely ‘No clouds today. Always means it’s going to be a cold night. Wonder if the others packed warm pyjamas like I ruddy-well told em to?’

It wasn’t long after this that Thomas became aware of more than just the newly unfriendly temperature. Giggles were drifting softly across the grass toward him. Thomas grinned to himself, wondering if it would be worth the looks on their faces if he were too suddenly appear out his tent and bust them mid escape, when a blonde head poked through the tent flap. 

Thomas hadn’t even the time to process what was happening before Jimmy’s head was followed by blanket-clad shoulders, torso, and legs. The older man could do nothing but gape as Jimmy Kent, dressed only in light summer pyjama trousers and a thin undershirt, added his own blankets to Thomas’ and wriggled in under the lot of them.

“ruddy cold, isn’t it?” Jimmy pushed his freezing feet against the skin at Thomas’ ankles. The sounds of escaping servants drifted far away on the night air. 

“Get off you cretin! What in the hell are you doing?”

“With my feet? They’re cold!”

“No, not with your feet. With your whole body. Jimmy, you just willingly clambered into bed with me…” 

“Well obviously” He laughed softly and snuggled closer, draping an arm over Thomas’ chest and intertwining their legs “I’m the distraction part of the genius escape to the pub plan you definitely didn’t suss out immediately”

Thomas gulped down the part of him that wanted very much to ask with what the others thought Jimmy would be distracting him with, and said instead “Oh yeah true masterminds you lot. Looked like you were planning the sloppiest revolution ever” Thomas was laying as still as possible, not entirely sure how he should be reacting but very sure he wasn’t going to be the first to make any sort of wrong move “how did you get Anna involved? Would have thought she would have stayed back crying over a night away from her beloved Mr Bates”  
Jimmy’s chuckle was breathy and right in his ear. It caused Thomas’ stomach to flip and he took an audible breath in.

“Oh it was easy. Daisy wanted to go out because she says Mrs Patmore never lets her do anything fun and she wants to see more of life outside the kitchen” Jimmy’s fingers were playing with the open buttons at the top of Thomas’ t-shirt and he wasn’t sure if he was pleased there were only three or utterly distraught he was wearing a shirt at all. Jimmy murmured the next bit into his neck, nuzzling his cold nose into the warm crook “And so Anna said she might as well come for a few. Don’t think she was too happy with the idea of leaving Daisy with two blokes”

“Alfred’s a good lad. You on the other hand” Thomas was squeeing his left fist in an effort to keep his resolve, the nails digging into his palm. He would have dearly loved to have squeezed both, but Jimmy’s thigh was pressed right up against his right hand and Thomas daren’t flex even a finger. 

Jimmy’s fingers slipped up from Thomas’ chest hair to his jawline, then to his lips “Oh, I think the kitchen maid’s are going to be pretty safe around me from now on. It’s not them I’m interested in” and he lifted himself up and away from Thomas’ body, only to reconnect moments later as he swung a leg over the other man and straddles him, keeping their chests flushed and bringing their faces close “I think its high time I let you do a bit of corrupting, don’t you?”

“I? What?” Was all Thomas managed to stutter out before they were kissing. Slow and tender and tantalising kisses quickly gave way to hot and heavy and desperate ones. 

It seemed neither was keen to drag out any lead up and soon both men were without shirts. With Jimmy still on top Thomas managed to stay attached to his mouth and undo both their trousers “Mmmm You’ve done that before” Jimmy muttered appreciatively against the section of collar bone he was now sucking on.

“Yes” Thomas grinned and flipped them over “I have. Want to see what else I’ve done before?” He was finding it hard to believe this was happening. Jimmy was laying beneath him, nearly completely undressed and undone, looking flushed and well-kissed and lust filled. His Jimmy. 

“Bloody hell yes” Then Jimmy was pulling Thomas down to his mouth again, and Thomas was kicking off his trousers and underwear before pulling off Jimmy’s own 

“Goddamn darkness I can’t see you” Jimmy mutter with clear frustration. 

“Then you’ll just have to feel me instead” and Thomas was back on top. This time he pulled both the other man’s legs around his waist, grinding down as Jimmy bucked up. Jimmy groaned out a noise half way between a triumphant laugh and a gasp for hair as the two settled into a fast rhythm. 

“I’ve been dreaming” Jimmy breathed out, his hands clutching at Thomas’ back.

“Oh yeah? About what?” Thomas gave the other man’s earlobe a bite, earning yet another noise of pleasure.

“I’ve been dreaming” He pushed out again between gasps “For months and months….About you fucking me” He let out a small laugh as Thomas growled, picking up Jimmy’s leg and the pace at the same time “In all different ways. Sometimes its gentle and loving. And sometimes we rip each others clothes off in the boot room, or the servants hall, and you take me roughly over the tabl-ahhh” Jimmy was cut off he was unceremoniously turned onto his front before Thomas’ hands were at his hips, yanking him backwards and into a better position “Oh god Thomas” Jimmy bit the pillow, more than willing to let the older man manhandle him into any position he wanted. 

They soon picked up their rhythm once again, with Thomas grinding against Jimmy’s ass, guiding his hips back with one hand, while the other pumped at Jimmy’s throbbing cock. All Jimmy himself could do was arch his back and rub downwards in time to Thomas’ stokes, and bite the pillow, desperate not to make too much sound. 

“Ah…ah…fuck..Jimmy, that’s it, just like…ah fuck” Thomas wasn’t aware he was muttering but he was certainly aware of what he was doing and the end he was hastily hurtling towards “Fuck Jimmy I think I’m..oh god this feels…fuck Jimmy” 

But before Thomas could feel any embracement about how quickly he might come, Jimmy let out and scream off pleasure audible even through his mouthful of pillow and erupted in his hand. Thomas, continuing to pump the man through to his final shuddering moan felt no qualms about finishing right over Jimmy’s bare arse.

They fell asleep under the blankets, their sweat soaked bodies soon turning cold in the night air. When Thomas woke the next day, Jimmy and his blankets were gone but the bite marks in his pillow and the discoloured patch in the middle of the thin floor bedding told Thomas it had been more than a dream. 

 

“Jimmy what happened yesterday I though you were meant to join us? It were a great night! You really missed out, mate. Tough luck you’re the only one he’d stay up playing cards with I suppose” Alfred clapped Jimmy on the back as he slid onto the bench next to him the next morning “Should have seen me though, ey? Must’ve chatted up three girls. Right jealous you’d be” He gave Jimmy a slight glare “Actually, maybe I’m not sorry you weren’t wiv us. You’d have stolen them from right under me feet you’d have”

“Ah well, you know our Jimmy” Thomas’ mocking voice preceded the man before he too joined the breakfast table “A right lady killer that one” He grinned over at the blonde who, adding a wink for good measure, returned the mischievous smile.

Anna choked slightly into her porridge.


End file.
